Apparatus for manufacturing piston rings



Dec. 14, 1943. 5, BRisTo 2,336,462

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING PISTON RINGS Filed Dec. 11. 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 14, 1943. Q ow 2,336,462

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING PISTON RINGS Filed Dec. 11, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG] Patented Dec. 14, .1943

APPARATUS roa MANUFACTURING PISTON.

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' Barnard C. Bristow, Burlingame, Calif., asslgnor to McQuay-Norris Manufacturing Company,

I St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Delaware Application December 11,1940, Serial No. 369,621

5 Claims. (Cl. 29-1) My invention relates to apparatus for manuiacturing piston rings, and more particularly, to apparatus which may be used in the production of rings described and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 347,840, according to the method described therein.

In its broader aspects, my invention is directed to an apparatus for spreading split piston rings, comprising means to engage the rings and means to cause the ring-engaging means to move the ends of the rings away from each other.

Fig. 5 isa side elevation oi the apparatus with the crank removed.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation'oi the parts separated. a

Fig. 7 is a vertical view taken on line of Fig. sgpartly in section.

In its narrower aspects, my invention relates I to an apparatus comprising a holder and a spreader separable from each other. The holder includes a pair of base blocks movable relative to each other, and each of the base blocks has means to engage the end of a ring adjacent the.

split therein. Th spreader comprises a pair of members movable relative to each other and adapted to be fastened removably to the base blocks. The members and the base blocks are arranged so that as the members are'moved away from each other, the base blocks and the ringengaging means move away from each other also, to spread the ends of the rings inthe respective planes of the rings. A suitable mechanism is provided to move the members of the spreader toward or away from each other.

-Having thus briefly described my invention, one object thereof is to provide apparatus for spreading split piston rings which operates efllciently and is-simple in construction.

Another object of my invention is to provide apparatus for spreading split piston in s which may be heated to substantially high temperatures without injuring the apparatus.

A more particular object of my invention is to provide an apparatus for spreading split piston rings which may be used to perform the method described in my co-pending application mentioned above.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description which relates to the drawings showing a preferred embodiment of my invention, and

wherein like numerals designate like parts I throughout the several views.

1 is a plan view of the F13. 8 is a' horizontal section on Fig.6.

Referring to the figures, the apparatus'for spreading split piston rings shown therein comprises split piston rings shown therein comprises a holder l and a spreader 2 separabl from each other so that after the ends of the rings A.are

Sp a predetermined distance, the holder and a spreader may be detached one from the-other and the holder may be placed in a heat treating furnace so that the rings may be heat treated according to the teachings of the method for man- 1 ufacturing piston rings described in the above mentioned co-pending application.

The holder comprises a pair of base blocks 3 and 4, including horizontal portions 5 and 8 respectively, and vertical portions 1 and 8 respectively, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

'The base blocks I and! are slidably supported on rods 8 to permit movement of the blocks relative to each other. A locking mechanism is provide'd for maintaining the base blocks 3 and 4 in adjusted position after the base blocks are spaced a predetermined distance from each other, and includes the set screws Ill, arranged to engage the rods 9 afteradjustment to'prevent movement of the base blocks thereon. I

The vertical portions 1 and I of the base blocks 3 and 4 are provided with ring-engaging means H which may be formed-integrally with the base blocks, or may be separable therefrom and attached rigidly to the base blocks. 1 In either event the ring-engaging means is shaped and arranged 4 as shown clearly in Fig. 8 and includes a pair of parts l2 and 13 each attached to a base block and each having a flange H at the edges thereof remote from the base blocks and a tapered portion I! between the base block and the flange l4.

The rings A to be spread are positioned in registry on the horizontal portions 5 and- 6 of the holder I, one on top of the other, with the gaps of the rings in alignment. 'The rings are arranged on the'holder so that the ring-engaging the apparatus with line 8-8 of I to the'rod I3 is a retaining m n which may a the base blocks 3 and 4.

The spreader 2 is formed and arranged to move the base blocks 3 and 4 relative to each other to separate the ring engaging means II- to spread the rings. As mentioned above, the spreader 2 is detachable from the holder I, so that the holder alone may be placed in a heat treating furnace according to the teachings of ringsfirmlybetween'thebaseblocks3and4and retaining part II. The holder I then is separated from the spread- 7 er 2 and may be placed in a heat treating furthe method described in the above mentioned copending application.

The spreader 2 comprises a horizontal base i3 and a pair of vertical members and 2|. The member 2i is attached rigidly to the base and the member 20 is movable relative thereto, and obviously the member 20 is movable also relative to the member 2i. The movable member 20 is 'slidably mounted on the rods 22 attached rigidly to the fixed member 2I. The movable member 20 also. is threaded to a pair of threaded shafts 23 and 24 rotatably supported in the fixed member as shown clearly in Fig. 1, and each shaft has at an end thereof ad-' adapted to fit into openings 3| in thevertical portions 1 and 8 of the base blocks 3 and 4. The pins 30 frictionally engage the base blocks 3 and 4 and the holder I therefore may be separated easily from the spreader 2.

The ringlspreader described above is used to manufacture developed pattern rings according to the method described in my co-pending application mentioned above and is used more specifically to distort the embryonic rings to noncircular shape. The ring spreader is operated the scope of my invention as defined in the ap-' nace for the purpose mentioned above. After the rings are heat treated a sumclent time and at the required temperature and after they have cooled, the holder I again isplaced on the spreader 2 with the pins 30 located. in the openings 3| and in engagement with the base blocks 3 and 4 of the holder. The crank 21 of the spreader 2 is rotated so that the-spreader moves together the base blocks 3 and 4 of the holder and the rings then are removed therefrom.

The ring spreader described above is simple in construction and operates efficiently. The holder is separable from the spreader and the holder may be heat treated to substantially high temperatures without injuring the apparatus. By thus making the holder separable from the spreader it is unnecessary to heat and subsequently cool the entire device after .heat treating, a quantity of rings, because only. the holder with the rings is placed'in the heat'treating furnace.

Also, holders adapted to accommodatevarious sized rings may be used on the same spreader, and thus it will be apparent that only one spreader may be used for a number of holders of various sizes. 4

It should be understood that other arrangements may be used also without deviating from pended claims. For instance, the rings may be spread by inserting a wedge between the ends of the rings and supporting the rings at the heels or at the edges of the rings adjacent the gaps and thus separating the ends of the rings.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus for spreading split piston rings, comprising a ring holderand a spreader, said ring holder including means to receive said rings and means to engage the rings at the ends respectively each are provided with a pair of pins as follows: A quantity of rings A are placed on the horizontal portions 5 and 3 of the base blocks 7 3 and 4, andthe rings are arranged to encircle the vertical rod I6. The rings A are clamped loosely between the retaining part II and base blocks 3 and 4 and they are arranged'in .registry with each other and with the gaps inalignment. The ends of the rings at the gaps engage the ring engaging means II of the base blocks 3 and 4. When therings are placed on the base blocks 3 and 4, the base blocks are in closed po-v sition and are mounted on the spreader 2'with' 3 and 4 cannot move relative to each other. The retaining part II then is adjusted to clampthe thereof adjacent saidsplit, said 'spreader'being arranged relative to said holder'tocausesaid engaging means to move the ends of said rings away from each other, and said holder and said spreader being separable from .each other.

2. An apparatus -for spreading split piston rings, comprising a holder for said rings and a spreader separable therefrom, said holder including a pair of base blocks movable relative to each other and each having means to engage an end of the ring adjacent the split therein, said spreader being adapted to engage said base blocks and move said base blocks relative to each other to 3 move the ends of said rings away from each other, and a locking mechanism on said holder to maintain the ends of said rings in a predetermined spread position.

3. An apparatus for spreading split p rings, comprising a holder and a spreader, said holder including a pair of base blocks movable relative to each other and each of said base prising a pair of members movable relative to each other and adapted to be fastened to said base blocks, said members and saldfbase blocks 1 fl lustingethe set screws I 3 so that the base blocks being arranged so that as said members are moved away from each other, said base blocks and said ring engaging means move away from each other. also to spread theends of saidrings in the respectiveplanesofsaid'rlnu. 4 a

'4. An apparatus for spreading split piston rings, comprising a holder and a spreader, said holder including a pair of base blocks movable relative to each other and each of said base blocks having means to engage the end of a ring adjacent the split therein, said spreader comprising a pair of members movable relative to each other and adapted to be fastened removably to the base blocks, saidmembers and said base blocks being arranged so that as said members are moved away from each other, said base blocks and said ring engaging means move away from in the respective planes of said rings, and mech- 5. An apparatus for spreading split piston rings and maintaining said rings in spread position while said rings are subjected to a heat treating operation, said apparatus comprising a holder and a spreader, said holder including a pair of parallel base blocks movable relative to each other and each of said base blocks having means to engage an end of each of said rings adjacent the split therein, said spreader being adapted to move said base blocks relative to each other to move the ends of said rings away from each other, said base blocks being arranged so that as they move away from each other they are maintained in parallel position, whereby all of said rings are anism to move said members of said spreader 15 spread equally.

toward and away from each other.

BARNARD C. BRISTOW'.

v CERTIFICATE OF comcnon. Pate t Bo. 2,556,1162. December 11;, 19h}.

' man 0. BRIsTow.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page-l, second celumn; line 11, after syllable "prises" strike out split piston rings shtMi tt'Aerein coml a rises' and that the said Letters Patent should he read with this correctioh therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office. a I

Signed and sealed this 15th day of February, A. 1:. 19%.

Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Cominissioner oi Patents. 

